Chapter 35

Zhou Xin said as though it were only natural, “You had already left. How could you possibly know what happened here?”

Shen Jibai slowly released his grip on the hilt of his saber and said nothing.

“Do you know where Guan Qiusheng is now?” she asked.

Shen Jibai was silent for a moment before nodding.

“Take me to him.”

He looked somewhat reluctant. “Why?”

“You’ll know once we get there.”

Zhou Xin braced herself against the roof ridge and stood.

Yet Shen Jibai showed no intention of moving.

“Your identity, your past, everything you’ve tried so hard to hide—it has all been exposed before my eyes, one thing after another.”

She bent down and leaned closer to his face, looking directly into his eyes.

“What are you still afraid of?”

At that, Shen Jibai merely tightened his grip on the roof ridge in silence, refusing to answer.

Zhou Xin said frankly, “I suspect the dream-eating beast is over there.”

“Are you certain?”

“In the dream at the Zhang residence, Zhang Qingqing was the one constantly pushing the dream forward. In this dream, Master Shang has been the one doing it. He’s highly suspicious.”

“That makes sense.” Shen Jibai rose to his feet. “Forgive me.”

He wrapped an arm around her waist, lightly pushed off the roof ridge with the tips of his feet, and leaped out of Qingshi Temple, landing in the dense forest behind it.

A narrow path wound through the trees, though it was impossible to tell where it led.

He released her and walked ahead.

“Follow me.”

Zhou Xin obediently followed behind him.

The two quietly made their way along the mountain path without speaking. For some reason, the atmosphere gradually became strange.

After a while, Zhou Xin was the first to break the silence.

“The snake’s greed knows no bounds, yet they schemed and plotted while worshipping the divine. After doing such things, they won’t come to a good end.”

Shen Jibai slowed his steps. Only when she had caught up beside him did he ask, “Why do you say that?”

“The jade was Perfected Chongxu’s ritual artifact, wasn’t it?”

Shen Jibai gave a slight nod. “Yes.”

“Perfected Chongxu withdrew from the world here. When he saw them displaced and homeless, he kindly took them in. Perhaps they were grateful at first, but as time passed, they grew accustomed to it. They may even have become obsessed after seeing him ascend, dreaming of becoming immortals themselves and secretly sneaking into Qingshi Temple to steal from him.”

Zhou Xin continued, “After doing it enough times, they were bound to be discovered. Secret theft became open robbery. But robbery was ultimately unjust, and with Master Shang stirring things up behind the scenes, they began to think of driving everyone from the mountain—or even killing them. That way, everything inside the temple would belong to them.”

Shen Jibai’s gaze abruptly turned cold.

“If I’m not mistaken,” Zhou Xin continued, “it wasn’t the jade sustaining the barrier, but the spiritual power of Daoist Master Chongxu and Guan Qiusheng. That was why Guan Qiusheng didn’t take the jade with him. Once he left, the barrier broke. This mountain, which had remained hidden for centuries, was discovered, and the villagers were displaced once again.”

Shen Jibai neither confirmed nor denied it.

Although he was no longer as secretive as he had been at first, he still refused to speak of the past, as though everything she had seen today was merely the tip of the iceberg.

Zhou Xin withdrew her gaze and said nothing more.

The mountain path narrowed more and more until it disappeared entirely.

Seeing the dense grass and obstructing branches ahead, Shen Jibai quickened his pace, drew his saber, and cut through the branches before tossing them aside.

He kept a close eye on the terrain, occasionally kicking loose stones out of the way or trampling down weeds that reached past their knees. Without saying a word, he cleared a narrow trail through the undergrowth.

Zhou Xin followed leisurely behind him.

After walking several dozen paces in single file, they found their way blocked by a disorderly pile of enormous rocks.

The vegetation here was lush. Branches and leaves blotted out the sunlight, while layer upon layer of vines concealed the mountainside, making the place seem cold and gloomy.

Shen Jibai approached the rocks, parted the dense vines, and stepped into a hidden cave.

Zhou Xin followed close behind.

The cave was dimly lit and far colder than the outside, making it feel even more sinister.

Shen Jibai walked quietly in front, lowering his voice.

“They’re inside.”

Zhou Xin understood and began moving just as stealthily.

After advancing several dozen paces into the cave, they heard Guan Qiusheng’s voice.

“Although you possess an undying body, you are still made of flesh and blood. How painful must it have been to have your heart pierced?”

He paused before continuing.

“But you did something wrong, and a blood debt can only be repaid with blood. Senior Brother protected you, which was also wrong. If one is wrong, one must admit it. If one is wrong, one must be punished.”

The voice came from behind a stone wall off to the side.

Zhou Xin crept closer on her hands and feet, then quietly peeked around it.

Before her was a stone chamber.

A pale child lay on a stone platform with his eyes shut. He appeared to have fainted.

Guan Qiusheng was bandaging his wounds.

“AMo, it isn’t that you have no heart. Your flesh and blood were only newly formed, and your seven corporeal souls were late to mature. That is why you do not understand human feelings or the ways of the world. With careful guidance, you would naturally become no different from an ordinary person.”

He gazed at the sleeping child, reached out to smooth his bangs, and slowly said, “It’s just that… Senior Brother may no longer be able to teach you.”

The moment he finished speaking, he suddenly rose, his expression guarded.

“Who’s there?”

Zhou Xin’s heart leaped into her throat.

She immediately pulled back.

Soft footsteps sounded inside the stone chamber.

Holding his sword, Guan Qiusheng spoke coldly.

“Master Shang, since you’re already here, why not show yourself?”

A quiet laugh rang out, followed by Master Shang’s voice from the other side of the chamber.

“Guan Qiusheng, hand him over, and this old man may spare your life.”

Zhou Xin cautiously peeked out again.

When she saw Master Shang slowly emerge from behind the opposite stone wall, she realized the cave had more than one entrance.

“So you truly came for that breath of immortal qi,” Guan Qiusheng said. “Do you think possessing it will allow you to ascend and become an immortal?”

“Whether it brings immortality or eternal life, something is better than nothing.”

Master Shang looked calmly at Guan Qiusheng as though gazing down upon an ant.

“Save your strength. You are no match for this old man.”

Guan Qiusheng drew his sword and tossed the scabbard aside.

“I knew you would come. I simply didn’t expect you to arrive so quickly.”

He pointed his sword at Master Shang.

“You were the one who spread the rumor that the immortal pills inside the temple could grant eternal life. You lured the villagers into sneaking into Qingshi Temple to steal, disrespecting our late master and even attempting to take Junior Brother’s life!”

“Not at all. This old man did nothing.”

Master Shang smiled.

“If you must blame someone, blame yourself for allowing compassion to overcome you and defying the natural order to save Cripple Li’s life. That caused the villagers to mistakenly believe the immortal pills could bring the dead back to life. One person told ten, and ten told a hundred, until the rumor became increasingly absurd.”

He continued, “You see, humans are insatiably greedy. Before the temptation of eternal life, gratitude and righteousness are nothing but passing clouds.”

Guan Qiusheng said furiously, “Perhaps you did nothing at first, but what about later? Without you provoking them from behind the scenes, how would they have learned that the immortal qi inside Junior Brother’s body could preserve the flesh from decay?”

“And what if it was this old man?”

Guan Qiusheng ground his teeth in hatred.

“Master Shang, our late master treated you well! You knew Junior Brother was the culmination of his life’s work, yet you could still bring yourself to harm him? You are also a Daoist cultivator. How could your heart be so vicious?”

“Yes! I am also a Daoist cultivator!”

Master Shang’s expression twisted.

“I was more diligent than him, worked harder than him, and cultivated far longer than him! Why was he the one who ascended instead of me?”

“Was it merely because I am half human and half demon? Is that why even the Dao of Heaven must look down upon me?!”

Guan Qiusheng sneered.

“Stop making excuses! Even if you weren’t a half-demon, you would never compare to our late master!”

“Good! Today, this old man will let you experience the power of a half-demon!”

Master Shang struck with one hand.

Guan Qiusheng raised his sword to block, and the two began fighting inside the cave.

In terms of martial skill, Guan Qiusheng truly was no match for him.

After being forced back, Guan Qiusheng formed hand seals and recited an incantation, exchanging several more rounds of spells with him. For some unknown reason, he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

Master Shang stroked his beard, his tone filled with utter contempt.

“Is that all you are capable of? It seems you did not even learn the barest fraction of Chongxu’s abilities.”

Guan Qiusheng clutched his chest and retreated several steps until he stood before the stone platform, glaring at him with both eyes.

“You will not succeed.”

He wrapped an arm around the child and shouted, “Escape!”

The moment the word left his mouth, he and the unconscious child vanished together.

Zhou Xin’s eyes widened slightly.

He had performed a Five Elements escape technique without even forming a seal. That alone showed the depth of his cultivation.

Yet Master Shang was still stronger than him!

Master Shang, who stood with his back to them and his hands clasped behind him, slowly turned toward their hiding place.

“Outsiders, how long do you intend to remain hidden?”

Damn it!

He had discovered them!

Zhou Xin unconsciously held her breath.

Her wrist suddenly tightened.

Shen Jibai grabbed her and pulled her back the way they had come.

Knowing their presence had been exposed, they no longer bothered to move quietly and hurried through the passage.

“You refuse the toast only to drink the penalty.”

A figure flashed past them.

Master Shang appeared in front of the two, blocking their way.

Shen Jibai stepped sideways and placed himself in front of Zhou Xin.

“Run.”

Zhou Xin came back to her senses, immediately turned, and ran in the opposite direction.

“You think you can leave?”

Master Shang swept his hand outward.

In an instant, heaven and earth seemed to split apart. The ground shook violently, and the entire cave began to tremble with thunderous rumbles.

Zhou Xin was running too quickly. Her foot slipped, and she fell to the ground.

Rocks came crashing down. The stone chamber collapsed, and the passage they had just traversed was completely blocked by falling rubble and dust.

Damn it!

When a person was unlucky, even entering a dream meant playing a deadly game of escape!

She scrambled to her feet.

Fortunately, she had fallen. Otherwise, she would have been crushed into a meat patty!

She quickly ran back to Shen Jibai and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. Her hands rapidly formed a seal.

“Those who preside over warriors, fighters, and all who march in formation—escape!”

But when she finished speaking, the Five Elements escape technique seemed to have failed. Nothing happened, and the two remained trapped in place.

A hint of panic appeared on her face.

“How could this happen?”

Shen Jibai looked around.

“…Master Shang is gone.”

“The cave is collapsing. Of course he ran away!”

In the blink of an eye, the cave began shaking even more violently.

Several cracks slowly appeared along the stone walls, spreading upward to the ceiling before branching outward in every direction.

Zhou Xin raised her head.

The cracks overhead resembled the veins of a leaf, densely intertwined and frighteningly clear. The ceiling had plainly reached the point where it could crack no further and was about to collapse.

“Run!”

She hurriedly grabbed Shen Jibai and pulled him forward.

But they were still one step too late.

The ceiling collapsed with a deafening crash.

An enormous shadow engulfed the two.

With no other choice, Zhou Xin quickened her pace, but there was no time to avoid it.

At the critical moment, Shen Jibai suddenly flung her hand away.

Zhou Xin looked back.

He gritted his teeth and used all his strength to hold up the enormous slab of stone.

“Go!”

“But you—”

“Go!”

Zhou Xin bit her lip and ran forward.

Once she escaped the shadow of the giant rock, she pressed herself against the wall of the tunnel.

The ceiling here was lower than that of the stone chamber, and the passage had been excavated on a much smaller scale. The collapse caused by the tremors was less severe here.

“Shen Jibai! Use the Dragon-Pattern Saber to hold up the ceiling!”

Hearing her, Shen Jibai did as she said.

The space propped open by the Dragon-Pattern Saber was extremely low. He practically rolled through the narrow gap between the stone ceiling and the ground.

At that moment, something strange happened.

The tunnel, which had originally been unaffected by the collapse, began filling with flying dust and tumbling rocks the moment Shen Jibai reached it.

It started shaking violently.

Zhou Xin thought, So he was the one carrying the special buff. Wherever he went, the ground shook!

Holding his hand, she hurried toward the exit.

They had taken only a few steps when another dark shadow appeared overhead.

She thought to herself, I knew it! These rocks are specifically targeting him!

A force dragged her toward the wall beside them.

Before she could react, Zhou Xin felt an arm tighten around her waist.

Shen Jibai cradled the back of her head and pressed her into his chest, using his own body as a shield to protect her from every direction.

Something seemed to strike his back.

A sharp crack of bone rang out.

Shen Jibai let out a low gasp, his body trembling slightly.

Zhou Xin’s face was pressed tightly against his chest.

She could clearly hear the frantic pounding of his heart, already on the verge of losing control.

“Where are you hurt?” she asked worriedly.

His voice was low.

“…It’s nothing. Merely a superficial wound.”

Zhou Xin’s eyes stung.

“Are you stupid? It must hurt terribly when something strikes an existing wound!”

A soft laugh came from above her.

His voice remained exceedingly quiet.

“Not as much as your hand hurt.”

Zhou Xin’s heart suddenly stirred.

The trembling cave abruptly fell still.

A low chuckle drifted from the tunnel ahead.

Shen Jibai released Zhou Xin, and the two turned toward the sound at the same time.

Master Shang stood among the fallen rocks, blocking their path.

“You truly are fortunate. Even that failed to kill you!”

Zhou Xin flung out several yellow talismans.

“Fire, come!”

The talismans flew into the air, but instead of igniting as they usually did, they slowly fluttered to the ground.

Zhou Xin: “?”

She took a step back and hid behind Shen Jibai.

“What do we do?” she muttered. “We can’t escape, and we can’t defeat him.”

“How could that be?” Shen Jibai said. “I’ll cover you.”

The moment he finished speaking, he leaped in front of Master Shang and began fighting him barehanded.

Zhou Xin gave him a thumbs-up, then seized the opportunity to slip away from the side.

After running some distance, she realized Shen Jibai had yet to catch up.

“Shen Jibai, don’t get drawn into the fight! Hurry and follow me!”

At her call, he leaped back to her side.

Master Shang pursued closely and once again became entangled in combat with him.

A bell suddenly rang beside her ear.

It carried a mysterious power that instantly calmed the whirlpool of anxiety in her heart.

The footsteps behind her drew closer and closer.

Zhou Xin suppressed her confusion and sprinted out of the cave.

The moment she emerged, she saw a large group of villagers gathered outside, all holding blades.

The instant they saw her, they raised their weapons and attacked.

“You have got to be kidding me!”

Terrified, Zhou Xin turned and ran.

Why had the dream-eating beast suddenly launched an indiscriminate attack?

Wasn’t it blatantly exposing its true identity?

She tried throwing out another yellow talisman.

A powerful wind swept toward her, circling her body and forming a shield of air.

Zhou Xin raised two fingers like a sword and controlled the wind shield, carrying herself onto the rocks above the cave entrance.

The moment her feet touched down, the bell rang beside her ear again.

This time, she heard it clearly.

It was the sound of the Three Pure Ones Bell!

The villagers rushed forward and collided head-on with Shen Jibai, who had just emerged from the cave.

Dozens of blades slashed toward him at once.

With pursuers ahead and a ferocious enemy behind, Shen Jibai abruptly stopped.

“Shen Jibai! Over here!”

The man below looked up at her.

He spread his arms, pushed off the ground, and landed beside her.

Breathing slightly harder than usual, he asked, “What is happening?”

Zhou Xin answered an entirely different question.

“I know where the dream-eating beast’s true body is!”

Shen Jibai froze.

“Is it not Master Shang?”

“No!”

A puzzled look appeared in his eyes.

“Then who is it?”